


When Harry Met Niall

by wishfulwannabe



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendzone, M/M, Movie-AU, New Years Eve, Pining, Platonic Relationship, Smut, When Harry Met Sally- AU, nothing super vulgar, sad pining it will probably make you sick, stupid analogies that harry has about friends, the smut is classy smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-03-04 21:41:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3091298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wishfulwannabe/pseuds/wishfulwannabe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Why do you say that?”<br/>“Why do I say what?”<br/>“We wouldn’t work out. As friends, I mean.”<br/>“It’s simple,” Harry started. “If two people find each other attractive, they will never be able to be just friends. One will end up falling in love with the other and it will just be a mess of platonic and non-platonic feelings and it will blow up. End of story.”</p>
<p>OR When Harry Met Sally AU where Harry is Harry and Niall is Sally and they are both completely stupid (for each other)</p>
            </blockquote>





	When Harry Met Niall

**Author's Note:**

> So I was watching When Harry Met Sally the other week for my sociology class because we were learning about relationships and the whole time I was thinking "how cute would it be if there was a narry fic about this" and also Billy Crystal reminded me so much of Harry and Meg Ryan is just the cutest little cutie just like Niall. So I went searching and searching and I couldn't find any so I decided I would make my own. Obviously I had to change up a few things but I hope I stayed pretty accurate to the movie, mind you a few details that I added or took out, and I hope if you love the movie like I discovered I did, you will love this too. Or if you just love narry. Also, yesterday was NYE and I though "how perfect would it be to write this now."
> 
> Thank you to all of the lovely people who supported my last fic and motivated me to write more. Y'all are bomb.
> 
> I do not own any credits from the movie When Harry Met Sally and I do not own or am affiliated with any of the characters portrayed in this story. As always, please do not show this work to any of the characters portrayed in the story. 
> 
> Emma.xx

Beeping his horn seemed rude, but Niall would rather not sit in his car watching his best friend shove her tongue down some strangers throat. Some stranger that he would be spending the next 24 hours with. So it's only rational he would blare down on his steering wheel, the couple in front of him jumping apart.

"I'll miss you so much," He heard Stacy whisper to the bloke, what was his name again? Harrison? Harold? He should really remember his name if he is going to be sitting in a car next to him all the way to New York City.

"Me too baby," Harry ( _that's his name_ ), whispered back to Stacy, giving her a final kiss before climbing into the passenger side of Niall’s car. "So, are we off?"

"I don't know, did you swap enough saliva?" Niall bit back, unintentionally being exceptionally rude to this boy he should be getting on his good side.

"Someone's touchy," Harry mumbles while Niall pulls out of his old Uni.

After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts in sound engineering, Niall went searching for a job that could start his career. He found one at a decent sized company, with their corporate offices based in New York City. They told him they would pay for half of his rent if he moved beside one of their buildings, and with that Niall signed the contract and started packing his bags.

It was when he told his best friend for most of Uni, Stacy, that he got the job and would be taking the trip down there in his 2003 Toyota Camry that she asked if he would mind giving her boyfriend, of 5 months mind you, Harry, a lift to the city. Niall hardly refused, as he would have someone to help pay for gas and Niall needed all of the financial help he could get.

So now here they are today, taking the long journey towards both of their futures. Well, for Niall his future. He wasn't quite sure why Harry was taking the trip down.

"So, why exactly are you here?" Niall asked, realizing only after how rude he had been coming off. "I mean, why are you going to New York?"

"Well," Harry started, in his devilishly slow tone of voice. "My dad passed away about a year ago, and he had a fully paid apartment down there. After getting my bachelors I decided that I could move down to the big city, find a job, live for free, and all would be swell."

"Oh," Niall pondered what exactly to say to this new revelation about this stranger he met merely hours before. "I'm sorry about your dad."

"Nah, it's alright, we weren't super close anyways. Parents divorced when I was 3 and never really knew my dad after that," Harry brushed it off, so Niall didn't think to continue the conversation.

They sat in silence for a few hours, Harry reading from a few magazines and Niall keeping his eyes attentive on the road ahead of him.

Just as the sun was lowering below the horizon, Niall's stomach let out a low grumble and Harry's head snapped towards his lower torso.

"Are you hungry? Do you wanna stop?" Harry asked, placing his magazine in his lap.

"Well yeah, but if you aren't, that’s okay."

"Nah it's alright, reckon I can always go for something to eat."

"Well then that's settled."

The two pulled off the highway at the next diner they passed. When they walked in the food smelled decent enough and the people were nice enough so they guessed the place would do.

"Hello, welcome to Dave's Diner, what can I get you two?" A pretty waitress walked over with shining blonde hair that just touched the curve of her waist.

"Can I have the cheeseburger please?" Harry asked sweetly, handing over his menu to the girl. Their hands brushed and the waitress giggled and batted her lashes and Niall was about to throw up.

"Anything else, sweetie?" The blonde asked and Niall was just about fuming. He was here too. Not that he was interested in the busty blonde anyways, but the lack of service towards him bugged him. Forget what he said about the people being nice enough.

"I would actually like to order," Niall snapped and the waitress gave him a look that could probably kill him. Nonetheless, she readied her pen and Niall started reading off his order. "I would like the garden salad please, but no tomatoes. And could you add chicken, unless it isn't free range, then no chicken. Instead I would like some extra lettuce. Also can you make sure there is no spinach, I'm allergic. And I would like ranch on the side, unless it is creamy. If it is I would like balsamic vinegar. On the side. Thanks," Niall flashed her a grin and hands the stunned girl his menu before she walked away.

"Well aren't you something else," Harry stated bluntly, staring Niall directly in the eyes.

"No, I just know what I like."

The two chatted about small things, like the weather and Niall's job, for a while before their food came and while they ate there were a few words thrown back and forth. It wasn’t until a dab of Niall’s ranch dressing slipped onto his cheek where everything shifted.

“Here, I’ll help,” Harry stated, leaning across the table to wipe at Niall’s pink cheek that seemed to be flushing to a bright red. Harry sat back and stared at Niall for a moment before letting out a sigh. “You know, Niall, you are quite an attractive lad I must say.”

Now, Niall wasn’t expecting this. He actually expected anything but that. Seeing as Harry was just shoving his tongue down his best friend’s throat only several hours ago.

“Uh, thanks?” Niall stuttered out, getting caught on his tongue. “You’re dating Stacy.”

“Yeah, s’not like it was going to last anyways.” Harry shrugged and it was as if Harry’s shoulders went up as Niall’s jaw dropped down.

“Uh, can we get the check please?” Niall shouted towards the waitress, throwing his napkin onto his plate and pushing himself out from the tiny booth.

“Is something wrong, Niall?” Harry rushed after him as Niall stormed to the front of the diner and fished his wallet from his pocket. “Don’t worry about that,” Harry shoved him out of the way and placed two 20 dollar bills on the counter before walking out of the diner and into the car.

Niall pulled open the driver’s door and slammed it shut while Harry slid into his own seat. “Why would you even say stuff like that?” Niall scoffed, not turning on the car, just sitting in silence staring at his dashboard.

“I was just stating a fact, Niall. Surly you know you know that you are attractive. I know I am.”

“The difference between me and you is that I am not so pretentious. And I just don’t admit to strangers that they are attractive!”

“Well it wasn’t like we were ever going to see each other again.”

Niall froze at this. He turned to look at Harry and he just shrugged once again. “What do you mean? I thought, you know, we might be, I don’t know, friends.”

“It wouldn’t have worked out, anyways,” Harry stated, turning towards the windshield.

Niall huffed and turned on the car, hastily pulling out of the parking lot and heading back onto the highway. “Why do you say that?”

“Why do I say what?”

“We wouldn’t work out. As friends, I mean.”

“It’s simple,” Harry started. “If two people find each other attractive, they will never be able to be just friends. One will end up falling in love with the other and it will just be a mess of platonic and non-platonic feelings and it will blow up. End of story.”

“Well aren’t you a Debby Downer,” Niall huffed again, staring straight ahead for the rest of the drive to New York.

~

After several more hours, a couple of pit stops and a few snapped words at each other, Niall and Harry crossed the Brooklyn Bridge into the heart of Manhattan, both of the boys marveling at the sight.

Niall pulled up next to Harry’s apartment, surprisingly only 12 blocks away from where Niall was to stay resident in.

“It was nice meeting you Niall,” Harry said before sliding out of the car. “To bad we couldn’t be friends, you are the only person I know in New York.”

And Niall wanted to fight back. Wanted to yell at him that if it weren’t for his stupid rule that maybe they could be friends and they wouldn’t have to be starting this massive journey in both of their lives alone. But Niall just watched Harry walk into his apartment, with one last half-assed wave and he was off.

_Good riddance_ was all Niall thought at that moment.

~ 5 years later~

Harry had to travel a lot. It wasn’t like he was complaining, he got to travel; and for free. But it would be nice to just stay in one spot for more than a few weeks. After moving to New York, Harry found a job in the matter of a month, and a good one at that. He worked for a PR firm and loved every second he was on the job.

He was heading back home to NYC after a couple days visit to L.A., where he was meeting with a few customers to talk over contracts and deals, when he saw him.

It was like seeing a ghost of his past when he walked by, but he knew it was him. Niall. It had to be, with his blonde hair and small body and blue eyes. Actually, he wasn’t sure if they were his blue eyes because they were closed, immersed in a kiss with another boy. _Man_ actually.

And Harry stood there, staring at the couple kissing because he hasn’t seen Niall in 5 years. Ever since he first came to New York and Niall was a best friend to his ex-girlfriend. Fuck, what was her name again? Sarah? No. Well, it didn’t really matter cause there Niall was. So into this kiss and oh shit. He opened his eyes.

And oh. The man he was kissing was Louis Tomlinson, one of the many business partners Harry’s company works with. And now they are both staring at him cause he was staring at them. Well fuck.

“Harry Styles!” Louis yelled, pulling Harry in for a quick hug and a harsh pat on the back before pulling away, Niall clinging to Louis arm and staring up at Harry through his thin eyelashes and _yep_ , those are Niall’s blue eyes.

“Hey Louis, how’s it going,” Harry said back in a much quieter tone than Louis had, but he never took his eyes off Niall.

“Good, just sending my beautiful boyfriend back to New York,” Louis smiled down at Niall and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, the blush rising from Niall’s neck up to the place where Louis’ lips just were.

“Well I better leave you two alone then, it was nice meeting you Niall,” And Harry had to say that because with the way Niall is looking at him, he probably doesn’t even remember Harry and he now feels very foolish so he gets on his plane, ready to feel somewhat guilty about how he is feeling about Niall forgetting about him.

But what Harry didn’t realize, was Niall was stood in shock at the interaction, barely reacting to his boyfriend’s lips that attached to his once again.

“What’s wrong, babe?” Louis asked, pulling away to get a good look at Niall’s face.

“Nothing, I just,” Niall sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “I know Harry. I drove him to New York, what was it, almost five years ago, when we first came. He was dating my best friend at the time. Oh shit, what was her name? Sarah? No. Well, it doesn’t matter anymore. He didn’t even remember me.”

“I’m sure he did, maybe he was just shocked,” Louis reassured him, pulling Niall in close to drop a kiss to his forehead. “Now, off with you love. Don’t want to miss your flight.”

Niall sighed a last time, pressing a firm kiss to Louis’ lips and whispered /I love you/’s exchanged between the two and he was off.

~

“Would you like my nuts?” Niall heard a deep voice whisper in his ear and he almost jumped right out of his seat.

“N-no, I-I mean, what?” Niall turned to see no one other than Harry Styles seated directly behind him, a dimpled smile gracing his face.

“You once told me you hate sleeping on airplanes,” Harry grinned and Niall’s eyes widened. So he did remember. “Was just keeping you awake.”

“I am perfectly capable of keeping myself awake, thank you,” Niall crossed his arms and turned in his seat to face forward.

A stewardess soon came and asked Niall what he would like, and Niall ratted off his order, listing his specifics.

“Some people never do change, do they?” Harry asked from behind him after flashing a flirty smile to the flight attendant and sending her on her way.

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

“You still know exactly what you want.”

“And I prefer to keep it that way.”

“Excuse me,” The lady beside Niall butted into their banter. “Would you like to switch seats with me?” She asked Harry and Niall’s jaw dropped.

“Uh, no, that’s alri-“

“That would be lovely, thank you!” Harry cut Niall off, already standing from his seat to switch with the lady beside Niall.

“So, Horan, how is life?” Harry asked Niall, fiddling with his seatbelt once he was settled next to Niall.

“Great, actually. I was promoted to head of my department last month at the studio and can now fly back and forth between our different studios placed in New York, L.A. and Las Vegas. Met Louis on the way. We’ve been dating for over a year now,” Niall finished with a small grin, thinking about how his life truly turned out incredible.

“Wow,” Harry snapped Niall out of his thoughts. “Aren’t you going to ask me about my life?”

“Well I didn’t ask for you to come sit here, did I, Styles?”

“Still touchy,” Harry tsked. “Well if you aren’t dying to know, I’m married.”

“So it did work out between you, and, uh…”

“I don’t know her name either. No, his name is Frank. Quite a lovely man actually. He would have to be seeing as I married him,” Harry grinned and Niall, well, he was shocked.

“So you’re, what, bisexual?”

“Pansexual. I wasn’t lying to you Niall when I said that two people who find each other attractive cannot be friends. Seeing as I could find anyone attractive if they appealed to me.”

“Huh,” Niall shrugged his shoulders and pondered this for a moment. He was so sure Harry was straight. But now that he thinks about it, it makes sense. Harry being pansexual. He just loves everyone.

“Why, is there a problem with that?” Harry retorted.

Niall scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Do you seriously think I would have a problem with that? You just found me making out with my _boyfriend_.”

“Touché, Horan,” Harry nodded thoughtfully.

The two drifted into easy conversation after that. Niall wondered why Harry never thought they could be friends in the first place. His analogy was quite shit if you asked him.

It was when they landed and the two were making their way off the plane that Niall felt an unsettling feeling in his stomach. He likes Harry, likes spending time with him. And now that they are both in serious relationships, maybe Harry would reconsider his thinking. So Niall tells him just that.

“I still find you attractive Niall,” Harry smirked at him, picking up his luggage and lagging it behind him.

“You are married,” Niall deadpanned and Harry just laughed.

“Doesn’t mean I don’t have eyes.”

And then Harry walked away, simple as that, while Niall was stuck frozen in the middle of JFK airport, left to think about just who Harry Styles really is.

~3 years later~

Harry’s depressed. Well, maybe not _depressed_ depressed, but Harry is really fucking sad.

“You need to go out,” Zayn stated from the other side of Harry’s apartment, taking a drag from his cigarette. “You probably just feel like shit because you haven’t left this place in almost two weeks.”

“No Zayn,” Harry snapped back. “I feel like shit because I just got _divorced_ because my shitting husband cheated on me with his shitty best friend in my shitty bed and now all of that shitty shit has resulted into me feeling like shit.”

“That’s a lot of shit,” Zayn extinguished his burning cigarette and walked over to Harry, nudging him over so Zayn could sit on the couch as well. “You need to go out, Haz. Meet new people. Mingle. Get over _him_.” Zayn wouldn’t dare say his name.

“Maybe you’re right,” Harry sighed and Zayn felt as if the heavens were opening up since he has been trying to get Harry out of the house for the past few days and after much persistence, he has finally agreed.

“You should probably shower first, though. Love you, mate, but you rank.”

“That’s what heartbreak and loneliness will do to you,” All Zayn could do was roll his eyes at Harry’s comment.

~

“Liam, stop mucking about, I seriously need to look for this book,” Niall shook his head as he was rifling through the stacks upon stacks of books in this neat little book store on the corner of 10th and 21st street. Liam, his best friend, on the other hand was tinkering about in the kids section, picking up every toy there was to offer.

Niall had been told by his boss that he wanted a specific book that would help them at the studio, and the only place to get it would be in this store. Sadly, the owners to the book store were not too keen on organization and had told Niall the section the book could be lying anywhere in.

“Lighten up, Niall,” Liam laughed and sauntered over to where Niall was slowly melting away from the stress looking for the damn book was giving him. “Look at that hot man over there, maybe he will loosen up your attitude.”

When Niall looked up in the direction Liam’s finger was pointing, he froze and dropped the book he had in his hand, causing many of the heads in the store to look his way; including the one he was staring at. His first reaction was to duck down behind the book shelf.

“What the fuck, Niall?” Liam crouched down beside the blonde only to have a hand slapped over his mouth.

“That’s Harry fucking Styles and I swear to God he is stalking me or something!” Niall hissed and Liam couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle behind Niall’s hand.

“Why don’t you go talk to him?”

“I can’t!”

“Why not?”

“Yeah Niall,” A different voice joined the conversation. “Why not?”

Niall slowly turned and titled his head up only to be met with the curly haired man himself. Jesus Christ.

“Hi Harry,” Niall slowly stood up and was met with Harry’s so very green eyes and that same dimpled smile that Niall knew all those years back.

“Fancy seeing you here,” Harry let out a small laugh. “How is Louis?”

“Uh, we uhm, I, uh-“

“They broke up. Last year actually,” Liam piped up from beside a speechless Niall, Harry’s eyes widening slightly.

“Such a shame. You two were so lovely together,” Harry tittered and Niall wanted to punch him.

“What about you Harry? How are you and, what was his name again?”

“Frank,” Harry spat through clenched teeth.

“Yes that was his name. Still happily married? Any little ones?” Niall smiled devilishly.

“Actually, no. Caught him fucking about with his best friend and divorced him. Made it official last month,” Harry barely got out without choking on his own voice.

“Always a straight forward one, aren’t you, Harry? Such a shame.” Niall shook his head, hoping Harry received a taste of his own medicine.

“So, have you moved on so quickly with this strapping young man?” Harry eyed Liam up and down, raising his eyebrows slightly when he met his eyes.

“No, actually. This is Liam. My best friend.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Liam,” Harry stuck out his hand and if Niall didn’t know Harry was so vile he would think of how nice the gesture was.

“Likewise,” Liam gripped Harry’s hand but Niall could tell Liam was visibly uncomfortable. The tension between Niall and Harry was so thick Niall thought everyone in the bookstore were probably uncomfortable.

“Well Niall, it was nice catching up with you. Maybe we could go out for coffee sometime? Stroll through Central Park?” Harry questioned and Niall thought anything would be better than spending time alone with Harry.

“No thanks, I-“

“Actually, Niall, I think that is a great idea,” Liam jumped in and Niall would probably kill Liam right then right there if he could. “I have to meet up with someone in about five minutes. Don’t want to leave you on your own. You wouldn’t mind taking him in, Harry?”

“Of course not,” Harry flashed his dimpled grin once again. Niall was going to throw up. “C’mon Niall, I’m not getting any younger.”

And with that Harry tugged Niall out of the book store and the two made their way towards Central Park.

“I know the last place you want to be is here with me, Niall,” Harry started. “But if I’m being honest with you, I’m desperate.”

“What do you mean?” Niall questioned, turning slightly to look directly at Harry.

“Ever since the divorce, I haven’t been the greatest. I’m losing all my friends. The only one I’ve got left is Zayn and his one and only break up was a mutual agreement. I need someone who knows what I am going through,” Harry looked at Niall with pleading eyes and Niall sighed.

“I understand what you mean,” Niall admitted. “I wanted to get married! We had been dating for three years and I loved him and he was the one. He didn’t want the same and when I asked him why he said he never wanted to get married. He left the next morning.”

“I’m so sorry, Niall.”

“I’m sorry for you, too. How do you even sleep in your own bed anymore?” Niall shoved Harry’s shoulder jokingly and Harry let out a small laugh.

“I don’t, had to buy an entire new bed set. Mattress and all.”

And with that the two were in fits of laughter, drawing the attention of several people passing by.

“You know, Harry.”

“What?”

“I think your rule is stupid. I think we can be friends.”

Harry stopped walking and Niall stopped too, turning around after stepping a few paces ahead of him. “You know what Niall?” Harry asked, looking up from his shoes. “I think you are right.”

~

The two became inseparable. Of course, Niall had work and Harry had work, but they both didn’t travel as much as they did before. They would watch movies in bed and call each other to watch them together, even if they had seen each other mere hours before hand.

And yeah, Harry still had Zayn and Niall still had Liam, but the two became unspoken best friends. They could talk shit about their exes and neither of them would tell each other they need to drop it or move on. They understood each other. And that was all they needed.

~

“And how do you know just how good you are in bed?” Niall asked Harry with a laugh, shoving another french fry into his mouth.

“I have never not had someone orgasm with me,” Harry stated quite confidently and Niall scoffed.

“How do you know they weren’t faking it?” Niall challenged.

“You can’t fake an orgasm, Niall. Especially with a guy.”

“Do you always top?”

“Uh, no?”

“Then how do you know they’ve had an orgasm. You can’t see the cum unless you look at the condom afterwards. And do you?”

“ _Oh my gosh_ ,” Harry let out a laugh and Niall just raised his eyebrows.

“I’m just saying, Harry, it isn’t hard to fake an orgasm.”

“Oh yeah?” Harry dropped his fork and stared into Niall’s eyes.

Niall dropped his utensils and started to take in irregular breaths. “ _Oh yeah_ ,” Niall moaned, reaching his hand up to tug at his hair.

“Niall, what are you doing?” Harry was practically sweating after Niall started letting out these _sinful_ mewls. In the middle of a _restaurant_ for god's sake.

“Oh, yes, right there, _mmm_ ,” Niall moaned louder, tugging on his hair and letting his eyes droop closed. “Yes! Oh yeah, that’s the spot!” He was practically screaming and Harry’s jaw was almost to the floor. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh shit! That’s it _oh my god_ YES!” Niall finished with one last screech, slamming his hand on the table and smiling at Harry. 

“Sound familiar?”

“You are something else, Horan.”

~

“I’m nervous,” Harry admitted, tightening up his tie in the mirror before soothing out his coat that was placed on his shoulders.

“And what, you think I’m not?” Zayn asked, popping up behind Harry in the mirror and fixing up his already perfect hair.

“Yeah, I know, but I just want you to like Niall. I think you two would fit perfectly together.” Harry smiled and patted Zayn on the shoulder before the two walked out of Harry’s apartment together.

After much discussion between Harry and Niall, they both decided that they needed to meet each other’s best friends. And maybe try to hook up with them. Harry had already met Liam, and agreed that he was an attractive lad. Niall had only seen pictures of Zayn, but anyone would drop dead for the man, with his sharp cut jaw line and flawless hair. They decided that they should move on. And with each other’s best friend.

“Nice to meet you, Zayn,” Niall shook his hand quickly, taking a seat next to the man with the dark hair and honey eyes. “Harry has told me a lot about you.”

“Likewise,” Zayn smiled and tucked his chair into the table.

On the other side, Liam and Harry chatted away, smiling slightly at something the other would say and engaging in conversation.

“So, uh,” Niall started, thinking of something, _anything_ , he could say to Zayn. “How do you like music?”

“I’m more of a visual arts kind of guy,” Zayn shrugged and Niall immediately froze up. How was he supposed to be with a guy who doesn’t even like something that is his _entire life_.

“Actually,” Liam piped up from the other side of the table. “Me too.”

“Who’s your favourite artist?” Zayn questioned, raising his eyebrows at the boy sat across the table from him.

“I’m more of a classic kind of guy. Van Gogh, Picasso. But I’m also really into a lot of modern stuff. Photography, especially. If I could go to MOMA every day, I would.” Liam answered, Zayn nodding along to every word he stated.

“Photography? I’m actually a model,” Zayn smiled and of course Zayn would be a model. Zayn is perfect. “Artists tend to like my body. _Use me as they please_.”

Harry just about spat his water everywhere and Niall’s eyes boggled out of his head while Liam sat silently, staring Zayn up and down.

“I’m a photographer, maybe I could _use you_ sometime.”

Niall wanted to vomit all over the table, and from the way Harry was looking at the two, he felt the same.

“Brilliant idea,” Zayn smirked at Liam from across the table, eyes only for him. “Maybe we could head out of here now? I have a studio in my apartment.”

“Actually?” Liam’s eyes lit up and Zayn nodded his head. “Then what are we waiting for?”

The two men basically fell over themselves trying to get out of the restaurant as fast as they could before they could even eat their food, and Niall and Harry were stuck staring at each other in awe.

“Well,” Niall coughed out. “I guess that worked for everyone but the people it was intended to work for.”

Harry barked out a laugh and grabbed Niall’s hand to pull him up from the table. “C’mon, let’s go back to my place and cry over a tub of B&J because of how lonely we are.”

~

“Niall, I’m looking for new bed sheets not a damn karaoke machine,” Harry laughed as Niall started pressing the buttons on the small contraption.

“Sing with me, Haz,” Niall shoved a microphone in Harry’s hand as the tune of a song started up and Harry couldn’t help but comply with his demand.

“Only for you, Nialler,” Harry proclaimed, singing out the first lyrics of the song. Niall laughed so hard he turned red and Harry was sure he probably peed himself by the end, and they got so lost in each other Harry didn’t even notice someone walking his way.

“Harry?” A voice asked behind him and Harry blanched instantly. “Is that you?”

Harry whipped around to see him. _Frank_. And with no other than the man he cheated on Harry with, Darren.

“Hi, uh, Frank,” Harry choked out and Niall came up beside him to grab his hand tightly, realizing just who this man was.

“How are you?” Frank asked softly. Harry was going to cry any second.

“I’m fine,” Harry bit out. “How are you?”

“Great actually,” Frank smiled slightly, linking his arm through Darren’s. “Darren and I got married last month.”

“Well,” Harry could barely think let alone talk. The only thing keeping him to the ground was Niall’s hand keeping a tight grip on his. “That’s _great_ to hear.”

“Who is this?” Frank looked Niall up and down and Harry wanted to shove himself in front of his prying eyes so that they wouldn’t get to Niall.

“Hello, I’m Niall,” Niall smiled behind Harry and gave a small wave.

“Nice to meet you, Niall. And nice seeing you, Harry.” Frank gave one last smile and a wave before he walked away and out of the store.

“Hey,” Niall softly spoke beside Harry and Harry let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Are you alright?”

Harry wore the fakest smile he had ever put on and he knew Niall could see right through him, but at that moment that was the _least_ of his worries.

~

After that, Harry decided to sleep with anything that had legs. First it was Julia, she actually stuck around for about a week but then Harry discarded her, just like he would do to Ryan then Phylicia then Felicity then Warren then Zack then Emma, and his latest one, Ava.

He had a routine. Fuck them. Wake up the next morning. Get out without leaving a trace that he was even there.

Niall was worried about Harry. He seemed happy, the happiest he had been in a long time. Maybe it was because he was banging someone every other night or maybe it was just a façade but it wasn’t _Harry_.

“How do you do it?” Niall asked one night when the two were having a marathon of Grey’s Anatomy that they were planning to tell no one about it.

“Do what?”

“Fuck someone and then just leave. Like it was nothing?”

“No strings attached,” Harry shrugged and popped another chip into his mouth. “You don’t honestly care about them, you are just using them for the sex.”

“That is just about the most horrible thing you have ever said!” Niall gasped. “And that is a big feat to meet cause you say quite a few horrid things.”

“Hey!” Harry shrieked, tossing a chip at Niall’s face. “They are doing the same, so what is the big deal?”

“How do you know? Maybe one of them fell in love with you.”

Harry pondered this for a moment. “I wouldn’t be surprised. It is me we are talking about.”

Niall scoffed and threw a chip, hitting him directly in the forehead. The rest of the night called for Harry pouting and Niall bragging about what good aim he has.

~

“We’re getting married.”

And it is just like their “double date” all over again except Harry actually does spit out his water and Niall gets this grin that could probably split his face in two.

“Congratulations!” Niall shrieked, leaping over the table placed outside a small coffee shop the men visited once Zayn and Liam told Harry and Niall they had some _big news_.

“I’m so happy for you two!” Harry shouted, pulling Zayn into a firm hug.

“Well it didn’t seem like it from your little water show there,” Zayn laughed, pushing Harry away so he could cuddle up to Liam.

“I feel so proud Harry,” Niall sniffled dramatically. “Without us these two idiots wouldn’t have known each other and made their own sex tape the first night they met.”

“It wasn’t a sex tape,” Liam grumbled and Zayn only smiled wildly, pecking his now fiancé on the cheek.

“When is the wedding?” Harry demanded excitedly, practically bouncing in his seat.

“Two months from tomorrow. We just couldn’t wait any longer,” The couple grinned at each other and Harry and Niall cooed at the two, badgering them for more details about the big day.

~

Everything was going perfect. Liam and Zayn were busy planning their wedding which was now only a month away. Harry and Niall were, of course, asked to be the best men. Niall was meeting people, Harry was meeting people. Everything was going great. Until it wasn’t so great.

~

It was a Friday night and Liam and Zayn were having a small party to celebrate their engagement at their apartment they moved into together about a week ago.

Niall brought with him Jared, someone he started seeing a few weeks ago, met him just after Zayn and Liam announced their engagement. Harry brought this fourth year Uni student, Percy, who had started working as an intern at Harry’s PR company.

They played Pictionary and drank until the pictures started to seem a little blurry.

“So, Percy, tell us a little bit about yourself,” Niall turned towards the man (he was really a _boy_ ) on Harry’s left.

“Well, I like to bake!” Percy stated, a little too enthusiastic for Niall’s liking.

“He’s actually really good,” Zayn pipes up from the corner where he is draped across Liam’s lap. “Made a beautiful cake just for tonight. I don’t think he should be going into PR, maybe culinary school with his talents.”

“Well, Jared, what about you?” Harry asked, peeking out from behind a blushing Percy after Liam’s kind words.

“He’s in the running to be drafted into the Yankees next year,” Niall gushed beside him, gripping onto his arm.

“Huh, no way,” Harry huffed, pulling Percy closer to his side.

_Two can play at that game_ Niall thought as he glared across at Harry. “Hey Liam, why don’t you come into the kitchen with me so we can get out Percy’s _beautiful_ cake.”

“Okay, sounds good Niall,” Liam kissed Zayn before heading off to the kitchen, and Niall did the same to Jared, holding him in the kiss longer than Liam had with Zayn.

Harry wanted to glare daggers across at the couple basically sucking face in front of him. He placed a small kiss to Percy’s temple before demanding Zayn that he show him Liam’s latest photos that he took from last week.

“Doesn’t Percy seem a little young for Harry,” Niall huffed once he was in the kitchen with Liam, opening the cake box placed on the counter.

“Well, he is super talented,” Liam pointed out. “Taste that frosting.”

Niall swiped his finger across one of the piped flowers on the side of the cake, popping his finger into his mouth and almost moaning. “Well, _fuck me_.”

“Since when did Niall start liking older men,” Harry scoffed from the other side of the apartment, flipping through the photographs Zayn was proudly putting on display.

“I don’t know, but Jared seems nice enough. Definitely will bring in the money.”

“I mean,” Niall pondered in the kitchen. “Harry doesn’t even like sweets.”

“Niall doesn’t even like baseball,” Harry huffed, throwing the pictures onto the table.

~

“Harry,” Niall sniffled through the phone after Harry picked it up on the second ring, seeing as he was only lying in bed watching Funny Girl. Barbra Streisand is a _legend_ , okay?

“Yeah, what’s up? You watching Funny Girl?”

“I saw him today,” Niall cried through the phone and Harry muted the TV, listening to his broken sounding best friend. “Louis, I saw Louis.”

“When? Where?” Harry asked frantically, completely turning off the TV now.

“At work, he is here from L.A. It was awful Harry, I couldn’t even keep a conversation with him without running off in tears. I thought I was over him, Harry, until he was talking about how he is _engaged_!”

“Niall,” Harry soothed, jumping out of bed and pulling a sweater out of his closet. “I’m coming over right now.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Niall croaked through the phone.

“I want to, Niall,” Harry grunted, slipping his tight boots on. “I’ll be there in 10 minutes.”

~

“Niall?” Harry called out as he slipped in Niall’s spare key he gave to Harry a few months ago after Niall locked himself out and needed to trust someone else with a key in case it happened again.

“In here,” Niall called out, quite broken, mind you.

Harry quickly walked into Niall’s bedroom where he was sitting on the side of his bed, tissue upon tissue scattered around him.

“Oh, Niall,” Harry whispered just as Niall met his eyes, and instead of the electric blue that usually pierced Harry, they were watery and sad.

Niall let out a sob and Harry rushed to the side of the bed, pulling him into his arms and petting his hair down with one hand while rubbing his back with the other. It was gross, Harry had to admit, and there was probably no way he would be able to salvage his sweater after Niall has gotten his snot and tears all over it.

“Why can’t I just move on?” Niall struggled through the tears and Harry’s heart clenched uncomfortably at the sight of his poor best friend in this state.

“I don’t know, Niall,” Harry whispered softly, pulling Niall away from his chest. “Neither Percy or Jared worked out for us, so I am in the same boat as you.”

“We both knew they were just fillers,” Niall sniffled, wiping at his pink cheeks and red eyes. “I don’t want a filler, Harry. I want to love. All this time, Louis said he didn’t want to get married. But the truth was, he didn’t want to marry me. He didn’t love me.”

“Oh, stop that Niall,” Harry hissed, pulling Niall back into his chest. “You would never want him back anyways.

“No,” Niall mumbled into Harry’s ruined sweater. “But why didn’t he want to marry me? It’s cause I’m too difficult.”

“You are not,” Harry scolded, holding Niall a little closer.

“Yes I am,” Niall sniffled, more tears hitting Harry’s chest. “No one will ever want me.”

“Yes they will Niall, don’t say that,” Harry soothed, rubbing Niall’s back to match his tone of voice. “I’m gonna go make some tea.”

Harry pulled back only to have Niall pull him in tighter. “No, Harry. Can you just hold me for a bit longer?” Niall pleaded and Harry placed a small comforting kiss on Niall’s lips before rocking him back and forth.

They do it all the time. It’s a thing and it’s nothing and it doesn’t mean close to what either of them think it means. But Niall is leaning up and Harry is leaning down and their lips meet once again and Harry swears his lips feel like they are on fire.

Niall pulled him back onto the bed and one thing lead to another and they slowly discarded each piece of clothing like they are discarding their worries and Harry thinks this might be a disaster. Then Niall rolled his hips up and Harry changed his mind because how could something be a disaster when it feels so _good_?

And so it happened. They kissed and they touched and they explored and they brought each other to their highest highs and Harry could not believe it happened with Niall. Niall who he has known for over 11 years and Niall who is his best friend and Harry is regretting it now. Regretting saying that his rule is stupid because shagging your best friend is far from anything platonic.

~

“Where are you going?” Niall groggily asked the next morning when Harry slipped out from his arms, pulling his pants on from where they were previously lying on the floor.

“I have to get going,” Harry barely got out, looking at Niall and his soft hair and bleary eyes and he doesn’t want to do this. Really. But he has to.

“So soon?” Niall croaked in his morning voice, making Harry feel another pinch in his heart.

“Yeah, I've gotta get to work. But hey tonight we should go out for dinner. I’ll call you,” Harry strode over to the side of the bed and gave Niall a small peck to his forehead before he was grabbing his stuff and he was out.

And Harry had done that many times before, leaving no trace that he was even there in the first place. But this was Niall, not some bloke or bird he picked up from the bar that night.

Harry had some shit to figure out.

~

“This is nice,” Harry stated, taking a sip from his wine glass where he was seated across from Niall.

“Yeah,” Niall smiled awkwardly and Harry wanted the ground to swallow him up.

“I just want you to know that, uh, I think sleeping together was a mistake,” Harry got it out before he had any more time to think about it.

“Me too,” Niall shrugged and looked away from Harry to the waiter who slowly approached their table.

They ordered and Niall asked for all of the same specifics he normally does, Harry giving an apologetic glance to the waiter and trying to say with his eyes that his tip will be phenomenal. Their salads come and it is silent between Harry and Niall. Which it never is.

“It’s great when you don’t need to talk with another person and it won’t feel awkward,” Harry tried to break the silence and all he got in return was a tight lipped smile and sad blue eyes.

~

It was the day of Liam and Zayn’s wedding. The church looked beautiful, the reception hall even more incredible and Harry and Niall were nowhere to be seen.

The two hadn’t talked to each other since their night out and Liam and Zayn both knew why. They both had to endure the freaked out phone call because _oh shit, I just slept with my best friend_ and maybe a little bit of _oh shit, there may be feelings there_ and Niall and Harry had been avoiding each other like the plague.

But they both had to be at the wedding, seeing as they were both the best men. And they did, almost late which they both received a harsh talking to from Zayn after the ceremony because _this is my day and you are not fucking it up_.

“Hi,” Harry went up to Niall who was watching Liam and Zayn take their first dance in the reception hall.

“Hello,” Niall didn’t look Harry in the eyes. “How are you?”

“I’m great,” Harry tried to seem like he was telling the truth, he really did, but it was so very hard. “So, uh, are you seeing anyone?”

“I don’t want to talk about this, Harry,” Niall snapped, eyes still on Zayn and Liam smiling at each other on the dance floor.

“I was just asking.”

“And you don’t need to know,” Niall started walking away and Harry cautiously followed.

“When the hell are we going to get over this?!” Harry whisper shouted and Niall whipped around.

“Get over it?! It just happened Harry! Three weeks ago!”

“That’s a long damn time!”

“Ugh,” Niall rolled his eyes and started walking away again, Harry quickly catching up to him.

“Niall!”

“You are acting like what happened didn’t mean anything!” Niall yelled, now in an empty hallway away from the reception.

“I never said that! And besides, we both said that it was a mistake!”

“Yeah, it was the biggest mistake of my life! But you do it all the time, Harry, and then you get up and run!”

“I didn’t run, Niall.”

“Yeah, no, more like _sprinted_ ,” Niall spat and placed his hands on his waist and fuck when did it get to this point.

“Well, what do you want from me?!” Harry pleaded, wanting to fix this between him and Niall. Anything to fix this.

“I don’t want anything from you!”

“Alright,” Harry started in a softer voice. “I’m just telling you right now that I did not go over to your house that night to shag you Niall. You were there and your eyes were so sad, fuck Niall, I wanted to do anything to fix that!”

“Oh what, so you took _pity_ on me?” Niall hissed back, his face turning redder by the second.

“No, I didn’t, I just-“

“Fuck you!” Niall lands a hard slap to Harry’s cheek and storms back into the reception.

_Fuck me_.

~

There is no contact whatsoever. Harry thinks there never will be. And that makes him really fucking sad. How is he supposed to go through a life with Niall, who is shining and happy and brings all good things to this world, and then let it all disappear.

His life feels grey and shitty, that’s what it feels like. Harry feels like he did after his divorce, before he became friends with Niall.

And without all of this contact Harry gets some time to think, and the main thing he thinks is that the saying “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone” is pretty fucking accurate.

Because he took advantage of Niall. He didn’t even realize what kind of gold he had in his life. Niall was his sunshine. His everything. Without Niall, fuck. Without Niall, he couldn’t breathe properly.

It was like Niall was his source of life, and that sounds so fucking cheesy but it is so true and all Harry wants to do is crawl into a hole and die because he fucked it up. He had to be stupid and open his stupid mouth and muck up everything that he had that was good.

And in this time of thinking, Harry realized that he was in love with Niall. Deeply, truly, genuinely, and in the best ways, painfully _in love with Niall Horan_. And Harry, well, he was utterly fucked.

~

“You can always come if you change your mind, Harry,” Zayn said over the phone with the loud bass pounding in the background from the club him and Liam were at. And Niall.

“I need to give him his space,” Harry sighed, flicking through useless TV channels.

“Harry, he needs to see that you care about him.”

“No, Zayn, he needs to see that I care enough to give him some space.”

“Whatever you say, Harry,” Zayn shouted over the music that grew louder in the background. “You know where to find us if you change your mind. Looks like Niall’s already trying to find himself a New Years kiss.”

The line went dead and Harry’s entire body felt like it was on _fire_. The image of Niall kissing someone else burned in his head and he wanted to shake it out and burn the image of Niall, splayed out underneath him shouting his name, instead.

And Harry knew exactly what he needed to do then.

He slipped on his runners that were sat at the front door from when he came back from his jog in the morning, and grabbed the closest jacket to him before checking the time. _11:50_.

Harry sprinted out the door, and he thought it was kind of ironic how just a few weeks ago Niall was yelling at him that all he seems to do is sprint. But this time Harry wasn’t sprinting away from Niall, but rather towards him.

The club had to have been at least a 30 minute walk from Harry’s apartment, but Harry ran and ran and ran like he was running towards his future because, well, he was. This was his Niall and he was in love with him and he would shout it from the rooftops if Niall wanted him to do so.

Harry reached the club and he had no idea what time it was but he heard everyone yelling and he had a good idea then.

_15, 14, 13_

Harry frantically searched the crowded space for Niall, looking up and down and coming up empty.

_12, 11, 10_

Harry ran around, turning around every blonde haired male in hopes they would be him.

_9, 8, 7_

It’s when he peered across the room did he see Niall in the corner, looking about with his beautiful eyes, his pink pink lips pursed in a pout and Harry grinned so wide before making his way to the blonde.

_6, 5, 4_

_3, 2_

Harry grabbed Niall’s face in his hands.

_1_

And they kissed. It was wonderful and magical and Harry felt like his stomach was going to alight with fire soon. And then there were fireworks shooting off around them and Harry pulled away laughing because how fucking ironic.

“Harry, what are you-“

“I’m in love with you!” Harry shouted, cutting off a surprised looking Niall. “I’m so in love with you Niall and you are my sun and the gold I never knew I had and Jesus, I sound like a complete idiot but I am so in love with you and I will get down on my knees if you want me to, just to beg you to be mine.”

“You don’t love me, Harry. You are just saying that because it is New Years Eve and you are lonely and I get that. But you don’t love me.” Niall shook his head and Harry wanted to pull his hair out because what did he have to do to get Niall to understand how much he loves him.

“How about this? I love how you know exactly what you want. I love how you can never fall asleep on air planes. I love how your eyes change colours with your moods like you are some fucking mythical creature or something but you are so beautiful that sometimes I think you are. I love how passionate you are about music and everything else you adore. I love how when you get mad your eyebrows furrow and your eyes crinkle so you look nothing like you are mad, just really fucking adorable. I love how you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to bed at night. _I love you, Niall_. And I came here tonight to tell you that not because I am lonely or because it is New Years Eve, but because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

Niall looked at him with his wide eyes and he looked so goddamn beautiful it literally took Harry’s breath away. Then Niall was smiling the same way Harry was before he sauntered his way over to Niall in the crowded club and Niall was pulling Harry in for a kiss and yeah, Harry thought. His rule was stupid because if he had followed it he wouldn’t be here, with Niall attached to his lips and his heart soaring out of his chest. And he wouldn’t be in love with his best friend. So yeah, _screw his stupid rule_.


End file.
